


Deception

by silkmoth



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-10
Updated: 2011-01-10
Packaged: 2017-10-14 15:30:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/150766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkmoth/pseuds/silkmoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the other man finally lifted his head, Merlin felt the overwhelming need to sit down; he hadn’t seen this look in Arthur’s eyes for almost two years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deception

**Author's Note:**

> If you like Gwen, you may want to skip this one.

**Deception**

  
“You will lift the spell, Gwen.”

Gwen, who had her hands buried in white silk - _Uther isn’t dead yet and you’re already quite busy with your wedding gown, aren’t you, my dear?_ Merlin thought coldly- turned around and stared at him. “Excuse me?”

“You understood me fine. You have learned a few things from Morgana, haven’t you? Lift the spell on Arthur, Gwen, or you can join her wherever she may be hiding now.”

“Are you insane?”

Merlin didn’t answer. Arms crossed, he leaned back on the wooden door of Gwen’s chambers and watched the not-future queen fidgeting. Finally, Gwen let go of the silk and came around the bed to face him, head held high, eyes flickering. Merlin felt his magic rising and knew it showed in his own eyes when he saw Gwen faltering and jerking to a halt.

“You can’t make me!”

“You want to challenge _me_? Really?”

Gwen smiled in an ugly way. “He will never believe you! We will marry, Merlin… and anyway…” now she tried to look coy, “… I love him. You don’t have to worry.”

Merlin huffed. “If this should be the truth, it’s your problem. Arthur doesn’t love you… and you will not become Queen, Gwen. If you really want to marry someone you’ve put under a spell, marry Lancelot; I won’t hinder you. As the wife of the First Knight, you will also gain a high position. But you will let Arthur go.”

“I will do no such thing, but you will leave my chambers NOW!” Gwen yelled, probably hoping one of the guards outside in the hall would hear her.

Merlin smiled and straightened up slowly. Although it was late Spring and all the windows were closed, a sudden icy wind blew through the room, tearing at Gwen’s hair and clothes. “It seems you really didn’t understand me, Gwen. You telling me ‘No!’ is not an option. And you can scream as loud as you want, no one will hear you.”

“YOU…”

Merlin interrupted her. “Let me lay it out for you, my dear. You _will_ lift the spell right here, right now. If you don’t do this… there are other ways to break a spell. You could die, for example.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t think I won’t do it. I’m not Arthur, Gwen. I don’t care if I have to kill a woman. I won’t allow anyone to ruin Arthur’s life.”

Backing off slowly, Gwen looked scared now. “You won’t! You will only hurt Arthur! He would be devastated!”

“So you’re not only a deceiver, you’re also stupid. You don’t listen, Gwen. The moment you die, the spell will break. Arthur will be confused, maybe, but he won’t feel any more grief than he would feel if any servant died. Because that’s what you are for him, in truth… just another servant.”

While his own magic swirled around her, Merlin watched and listened to a crying Gwen lifting the love spell; inwardly, he was relieved. To threaten Gwen with death was one thing, actually killing her though… Merlin was quite happy to not have to find out if he could do this.

The moment Gwen was finished, he said, “Don’t try your hand at sorcery again. Ever. Mark my words, Gwen.” Merlin was already at the door, when he paused for another moment. “If I were you, I would leave these chambers immediately, and return to your hut.” With that, Merlin finally left and headed toward Arthur’s rooms.

***

Merlin entered the prince’s chambers quietly. His gaze seeked out Arthur and found him sitting on the bed, head bowed. Not entirely sure what he should expect, Merlin went slowly over to the prince and hesitated when he reached a bedpost, grabbing it. Merlin didn’t know what to say or ask; he couldn’t even venture a guess on Arthur’s feelings. When the other man finally lifted his head, Merlin felt the overwhelming need to sit down; he hadn’t seen this look in Arthur’s eyes for almost two years.

“I’m so sorry, Merlin.”

Sitting down beside Arthur and blinking rapidly to keep away those stupid tears, Merlin shook his head. “None of this was your fault.” In the next moment, he was crushed to Arthur’s chest; the prince clutched him so tightly it was getting hard to breathe.

“I hurt you so badly, I…” Arthur broke off, apparently already at a loss for words, and Merlin closed his eyes. The memories were still far too vivid… first the surprise and then the indescribable pain to be cast aside all of a sudden, to hear Arthur’s cold statement about the change of their relationship, to watch Arthur with Gwen… and his own stupidity! _I even tried to cheer her on! How very noble… I’m such an idiot!_ Swallowing hard, Merlin repeated, “It wasn’t your fault, Arthur. To the contrary… if you hadn’t told me how uncomfortable you felt with her… not to mention the thing with Gwaine, I would never had suspected her to use magic. Some warlock I am.”

Arthur drew back a bit and laid a hand on Merlin’s cheek to brush away some of the annoying wetness there, not looking too stable himself. “I guess I have to thank Gwaine for making me jealous, hm?”

“Not if you don’t want to kill the man. Especially when he learns I’m the reason for your jealousy,” Merlin answered, trying to smile a bit. It didn’t work yet.

“Thank you for not giving up on me,” Arthur whispered.

Merlin didn’t know how he looked at Arthur, but the prince leaned forward and then hesitated again. _It doesn’t make sense,_ Merlin thought, _but he’s probably just as shy as I am. Gods, two years!_ Almost too slowly, he raised his hands and let them slide upward over Arthur’s arms to finally enfold his face. His throat far too tight to speak, Merlin leaned in to kiss the other man. As their lips met and hesitantly opened to each other, Merlin could hear Arthur’s muffled sob while he melted against him.

It should have felt weird to kiss again after two years, but it didn’t. All the good memories, which had been buried under pain, came flooding back; the way Arthur tasted and smelled; the way his hands were gliding down possessively over Merlin’s back to his ass and were at the same time destroying his higher brain functions as always. Far too soon, Merlin had to throw his head back to gasp for air and then gasp even louder when Arthur’s lips found his neck. “Gods, Arthur!”

“I know. Believe me, I know.”

***

Clothes were shed quickly; with a naked Arthur looming above him, Merlin bit down hard on his lower lip, hoping the faint pain would help him to not go off in the next minute. “How… what do you want?”

“Nothing fancy. I won’t… last long anyway. Not this time.”

“Good.” Merlin drew Arthur down on top of him, and the moment their naked bodies settled together, both of them moaned. It felt like heaven. For so long, Merlin had missed and craved this closeness; overwhelmed again by his emotions and the heat Arthur was emitting, Merlin entwined his legs around Arthur’s waist. This made Arthur thrust his hips even more powerful against Merlin’s; holding on somehow, Merlin skimmed his hands over Arthur’s buttocks and squeezed slightly. Arthur’s mouth broke free of his and he gave a harsh groan, staring down at Merlin out of almost completely dark eyes. When he saw the longing on Arthur’s face, Merlin felt his own eyes rolling backward; he arched up helplessly, baring his neck. “Please…”

A minute later, he felt Arthur bite down hard on his neck, and Merlin came apart. Only vaguely aware of Arthur who shuddered and moaned just as badly as he, Merlin held on to the other man for dear life. Gasping in breath after breath, Merlin felt Arthur hugging him even tighter than before, then his tongue licked tenderly over the bite mark on Merlin’s neck, and Merlin groaned again. He wondered dimly how he had survived life without this.

“Merlin,” Arthur whispered. “I love you.”

Smiling, suddenly the easiest thing in the world, Merlin closed his eyes.

***

Arthur had tucked his head under Merlin’s chin, and Merlin stroked soothingly over Arthur’s still trembling back. “How’s your father?”

The prince shook his head. “He’s getting worse every day. Gaius will send for me when… you know.”

“Yeah.” Merlin pressed his lips on the blond hair. No matter how hopelessly divided father and son were, Merlin knew that Arthur still loved Uther… and how painful his death would be for the prince. He also knew that Arthur would be declared King on the same day, and Merlin already cringed when he thought about what this would cost the man in his arms.

As if reading his thoughts, Arthur’s embrace became tighter. “As long as you’re here…”

“I’ll always be here, Arthur.”

The prince relaxed again, and just when Merlin thought Arthur had fallen asleep finally, he spoke up again. “When my father… I want her gone from Camelot.”

Considering this, Merlin nosed through the blond hair. “You will probably lose Lancelot, then. He will leave with her.”

“I don’t care anymore.”

“All right. Let me handle this.”

“Thank you.”

“Anything, Arthur. Anything.”

  
The End.


End file.
